The Colosseum
The Colosseum, originally called the Flavian Amphitheater, stands in the archaeological heart of the city of Rome.
Origins
The amphitheater was built in the Flavian period on an area on the eastern edge of the Roman Forum.
Its construction was started by Vespasian in 70 AD. and inaugurated by Tito in 80, with further changes made during Domitian’s empire in 90.
The building, known as the Colosseum because of a colossal statue that stood nearby, until the end of the ancient age, shows of great popular appeal, such as hunts and gladiator games.
The building was, and still remains today, a spectacle in itself.
It is in fact the largest amphitheater in the world, able to offer surprising scenographic equipment, as well as services for the spectators.
Able to hold an estimated number of spectators between 50,000 and 87,000.
It is the most important Roman amphitheater, as well as the most imposing monument of ancient Rome that has come down to us.
Symbol of the glories of the empire, the Amphitheater has changed its face and function over the centuries, offering itself as a structured space but open to the Roman community.
Dimensions
Building forms an ellipse of 527 m in perimeter, with axes measuring 187.5 and 156.5 m.
The arena inside measures 86 × 54 m, with an area of 3 357 m².
Current height reaches 48.5 m, but originally it reached 52 m.
Decline
In 438 with the abolition of gladiator games at the behest of Valentinian III the amphitheater undergoes a slow and progressive decline so much so that it was used in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance as a quarry for materials,
also used for the construction of St. Peter’s Basilica,
and as shelter for animals and home for craft workshops and homes,
while the process of its Christianization is long.
From the romantic period in which the charm of the ruin attracted writers and artists,
it soon passed to that of systematic excavations and restorations.
Today
Today the Amphitheater is a monument to the works of human ingenuity that survive the time and still presents itself as a welcoming and dynamic structure that offers a wide overview of the interior spaces, but also evocative views of the city when you look out from the external archways.
It periodically hosts temporary exhibitions related to the themes of antiquity and its relationship with the contemporary, as well as modern shows.
This result of events and experiences has made the Amphitheater a place that is renewed every day, meaningful for everyone and capable of telling everyone a story.
Rome is not just a city, but an open-air history book …
